Electric switch



April 30, 1935. .1. G. JACKSON ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed July 5, 1932 2 Shets-Sheet l rrrrrrrrrrrrr u. .lnlnrllnlvlllns J?! Jac/$072 @Rowdy-0 April 30, 1935. J. G. JACKSON ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed July 5. 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 gmac/wm Jalan G. Jac/(Gazz y Patented Apr. 30, 1935 PATENT OFFICE ELECTRIC SWITCH John G. Jackson, Detroit, Mien., 'mimmu Square D Company, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Application July 5, 1932, Serial No. 620,932

10 Claims.

'I'his invention relates generally to electric switches and consists of certain novel features of construction, combinations and arrangements of parts that will be hereinafter more fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims. v

One of the essential objects of the invention is to provide an electric switch having an improved quick make and break action.

Another object is to provide a switch wherein the quick make and break action is preferably accomplished by imparting an accelerated movement to the movable contact carrying member.

Another object is to provide a switch wherein the movable contact carrying member is mounted for limited rotary movement in opposite directions between a pair of opposed arc suppressor plates.

Another object is to provide a switch wherein the movable contact carrying member has means cooperating with the opposed plates to control the effect of the arc created upon disengagement of the movable contact means for the stationary contact means.

Another. object is to provide a switch wherein the arc suppressor plates are preferably formed of fiber.

Another object is to provide a switch wherein the stationary contact means is free with respect to but serves to limit movement of the arc suppresser plates laterally from the movable con-v tact carrying member.

Another object is to provide a switch wherein means independent of the mounting means for the arc suppressor plates is utilized for spacing v said plates the proper distance apart.

Another object is to provide a switch wherein means is provided on the base for holding the fiber arc suppressor plates against turning and for limiting turning or rotary movement of the movable contact carrying member in opposite directions. y

Another object is to provide a switch wherein the means Vfor turning or rotating themovable contact carrying member is' preferably in the for'm of a tongue-like projection yat the forward edge of the movable contact carryingmember.

Another object is to provide a switch wherein means is provided for eifecting a pressure between the movable and stationary contacts when the movable contact carrying member is in the on" position and'for holding the said member'A provided in their upper ends with aligned grooves (Cl. Zoll-154) ating handle are so constructed and arranged that the handle is always accessible at the front of the switch.

Another object is to provide a switch wherein the parts are adapted for use in a cabinet or 5 3and showing parts broken away and in section;

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 3 and showing by full lines the On" position of the disc and by dotted lines ythe Oil position thereof;

Figure 3 is a sectional View taken on the line 3 3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 il a detail view of the rotary disc;

Figure 5 is a vertical transverse sectional view through the switch;

Figure 6 is a detail view of one of the insulating plates; 25

Figure 7 is a perspective view ,of a slightly modiied form of construction.

Referring now to the drawings, E is a switch embodying my invention. As shown, the switch E is the disctype and preferably includes a base 5 of insulating material, a shaft 6 journaled in upright portions or posts 1 and 8 respectively of the base, a pair of thin and somewhat flexible plates 9 and I0 respectively of insulating material such as fiber on the shaft 6 between the posts 1 and 8, a rotary disc il of insulating material on the shaft 6 between the plates 9 and I0, electric contacts I 2 and I3 respectively embedded in the disc Ii in stepped relation to the shaft 6, and electric contacts Il and I5 respec tively of substantially L conilguration on the base 5 and engageable with the contacts l2 and Il in the disc. As shown,.the,posts 1 and l are spaced apart transversely of the base l and are l! and I'I thatreceive the shaft C.' A single plate Il secured bya screw I9 to the post l over the groove II serves to hold the shaft l in the grooves Il and l1. /The plates l and l0 have aligned peripheral recesses 2l and 2i respectively that receive a transversely extending rib 22 of the base l. Consequently the plates are held against turning movement on the shaft L'These plates l and III also have aligned substantially square shaped openings or windows 2l and 24 respec- 56 whereby the turning movements of the disc II on the shaft 6 are limited. Opposite sides of the disc have recesses 29 and 30 respectively separated by radially extending ridges 3| and 32 respectively and normally closed by the plates 9 and I0. Opposite sides of the contact I2 are within the recesses 29 adjacent and at substantially acute angles to the ribs 32 and are substantially in line with opposite sides of the disc, While opposite sides of the contact I3 are in the recesses 30 adjacent and at substantially acute angles to the ribs 3I and are substantially in line with opposite sides of the disc. The sides 33 and 33 of' the ribs are quite abrupt, in fact, almost at right angles to the bases of the recesses 29 and 30, while the sides 34 and 34' of the ribs are inclined from their outer edges to the bases of said recesses. The bases 35 and 36 respectively of the L contacts I4 and I5 are fastened by bolts 31 and 38 to suitable electric connectors 39 and 40 respectively in the base 5, while the upright arm portions 4I and 42 respectively of said contacts have opposed inwardly offset coacting portions 43 and 44 respectively disposed in the openings 23 and 24 in the plates 9 and I0 and engageable with the contacts I2 and I3 in the disc II when the latter is in On position. Preferably these offset portions 43 and 44 of the contacts I4 and I5 are urged constantly toward each other by the inwardly offset end portions 48 and 49 respectively of substantially L-shaped spring backers 50 and 5I fastened by the bolts 31 and 38 respectively upon the bases 35 and 35 respectively of the contacts I4 and I5.

In use when the disc II is in Off position the offset portions 43 and 44 of the contacts I4 and I5 engage the bases of the recesses 29 and 30 adjacent the inclined sides l34 and 34 of the ribs. As the disc I I is turned by the handle 21 from Off to On position the offset portions 43 and 44 of the 'contacts I4 and I5 travel up the inclined sides 34 and 34 of the ribs so asto be spread apart and upon passing over the edges of said ribs snap into engagement with the contacts I2 and I3. As the disc II is turned from On to Off position the offset portions 43 and 44 of the contacts I4 and I5 move from the contacts I2 and I3 over the edges of the ribs 3| and 32 and thence down the inclined sides 34 and 35 to the bases of the recesses 29 and 30. Thus a snap action is obtained from Off to On or from "On to OIT positions. As a result the contacts aforesaid are not apt to be burnt when the current is ruptured. The construction and arf rangement of the disc recesses and plates 9 and I0 are such that restricted arcing chambers are provided between the disc I I and plates 9 and I0. In this connection it will be noted that the ribs 3| and 32 form certain sides of the recesses 29 and 30, consequently said ribs not only serve as obstacles to cause the offset portions 43 and 44 of the contacts 14 and I5 to spread apart whereby they may snap from 01T to On position or from On to Off position but also cooperate with the plates 9 and I0 to confine the arcs during movement of the disc II with the contacts I2 and I3 relative to the contacts I4 and I5. As a result the extent of such arcs on the rupturing of the current is greatly reduced.

The spring backers 59 and 5I serve the double purpose of causing a quick make and break snap action of the contacts I4 and I5, and also while the switch is at rest in the On position contribute pressure to the contacts I4 and I5, thereby greatly reducing the energy loss in such contacts. Moreover, such backers also provide the contact pressure necessary to effect low contact resistance. It should also be noted that the insulating plates 9 and I9 above referred to may be employed to assist in closing or sealing the opening 64 in the partition member 3 and/or the opening 10 in the cover 2 receiving the handle 21 of the disc.

In Figure 7 I have illustrated a slight modification in which the plates and 8| respectively have straight substantially parallel side edges 82 and 83 respectively and have straight substantially parallel outer edges 84 and 85 respectively. Spacer blocks 85 are located between and secured to said plates at the corners 81 and 83 thereof and have curved inner edge portions 89 conforming in shape to the periphery of the intermediate rotary disc II. Thus such spacers 86 and their fastening members 86' not only serve to close the end portions of the slots 54 and 15 but also serve to maintain the plates 88 and 8| in proper close relation to the disc II.

As shown, the base 5 constitutes a rear support for the switch structure, however, it is apparent that the rear support may be something other than such base and constructed and arranged to perform the functions thereof.

While it is believed that from the foregoing description the nature and advantages of the invention will be readily apparent, I desire to have it understood that I do not limit myself to what is herein shown and described, and that such changes may be resorted to when desired as fall within the scope of what is claimed. What I claim as my invention is: 1. In an electric switch, a rotary plate-like member, contact means carried by the plate-like member, insulating plates engaging opposite faces of the plate-like member, fixed contacts engageable with the contact means carried by the l plate-like member in the On position of the switch, and a single means cooperating with the insulating plates aforesaid to seal off the contact means and cooperating with the fixed contacts to l impart a snap movement to the plate-like member.

2. In an electric switch, a rear support, a shaft substantially parallel with the front face of said support, spaced arc suppresor plates receiving said shaft and held against movement about said shaft by a part on the rear support, said plates having windows therein, a rotary plate-like member of insulating material on the shaft between said plates, electric contact'means carried by the plate-like member and having contact faces at opposite sides thereof constantly between said plates but adapted when the plate-like member is rotated to register with the -windows in said plates, and electric contact means carried by the support and extending freely through said windows for engagement with the contact means aforesaid when in registration with said windows.

3. In an electric switch, a rear support. a forward'support in front of said rear support, a

pair of opposed arc suppressor plates mounted on said forward support and held .against turning movement by a part on the rear support, said plates having windows therein, a plate-like member of insulating material carried by said forward support between said plates for limited rotary movementin opposite directions, electric contact means carried by the plate-like member, registrable with said windows, and electric contacts projecting forwardly from the rear support upon the outer sides of said plates and having i portions extending freely through said windows and engageable with the contact means carried by the plate-like member to establish a circuit through the switch.

4. In an electric switch, a rear support, a forward support in front of said rear support, a pair of opposed arc suppressor plates mounted on said forward support in front of said rear support, said plates being interlocked with the rear support and having windows therein, a plate-like member of insulating material mounted on said forward support between said plates for rotary movement in opposite directions in front of said rear support, said plate-like member being limited in both directions by a part on said rear support, electric contact means'carried by the platelike member and registrable with said windows, and electric contacts projecting forwardly from the rear support upon the outer sides of said plates and having portions extending freely through said windows and engageable with the contact means carried by the plate-like `member to establish a circuit through the switch.

5. In an electric switch, a rear support, a shaftlike member supported in front of said support, a pair ofopposed stationary arc suppressor plates receiving said shaft-like member, said plates having windows therein, a plate-like member of insulating material carried by said shaft-like member between said plates for limited rotary movement in opposite directions, electric contact means carried by the plate-like member, and registrable with said windows, electriccontacts carried by the rear support and disposed upon the outer sides of said arc suppressor plates, said electric contacts being free with respect to said plates and having portions extending freely through said windows for engagement with the contact means carried by the plate-like member to establish an electric circuit through the switch, and means for turning the plate-like member in opposite directions to make and break the electric circuit including a handle element projecting substantially radially from an edge of said plate-like member.

6. In an electric switch, a pair of opposed stationary electric contacts, a plate-like member of insulating material mounted for limited rotary movement in opposite directions between said contacts from an ofT positionto an on position and vice versa, electric contact means carried by said member engageable with the opposed contacts when the plate-lake member is said rotary member cooperating with the yield-l able end portions of the first mentioned contact means for Vimparting accelerated rotary movement to the plate-like member in either direc- .tion of rotation thereof.

8. In an electric switch, a base, a plate-like member mounted for limited rotary movement in opposite directions on said base, an' arc-suppressor plate associated with said base and disposed in contiguous relation to a face of said plate-like member, said plate having an opening therein, an electric contact member fixed to said base and having a yieldable end portion extending through said opening, electric contact means carried by said plate-like member and engageable with said yieldable end portion, and means on said face cooperating with said yieldable end portion to effect snap acting engagement of the contacts and with said insulating plate to suppress arcing.

9. In an electric switch, a base, a plate-like member'mounted for rotary movement on said base, plates of insulating material upon opposite sides of said plate-like member and having openings therein, electric contact means iixed to said base upon the outer sides of said plates and hav-- ing yieldable end portions extending through said openings, electric contact means carried by said plate-like member and engageable with the end portions of the contact means aforesaid, spring means, and projections on said plate-like member, one of said projections extending from an edge of the plate-like member and forming an operating handle, and the other of said projections cooperating with the spring means to cause the engagement between the end portions of the first mentioned contact mea-ns and the last mentioned contact means to be snap like in action.

v10. In an electric switch, a base having a pair of laterally spaced posts, a shaft carried by the posts, a pair of arc suppressor plates on the shaft between the posts having aligned openings and having aligned lrecesses therein, said plates being Lseparate from the base, a rotary plate-like member of insulating material on the shaft between the'suppresso'r plates# and having a circumferentially extending recess in line with the aligned recesses in the plates, an electric contact element carried by said plate-like member, electric contacts xed to the base and having yieldable portions extending through the openings in the plates for engagement with the contact element carried by the plate-like member, and means holding the, plates against movement relative to the base and limiting movement of the plate-like member relative to said fixed contact elements including a stop on the base engaging the aligned recesses aforesaid.

JOHN G. JACKSON. 

